Towing carriage

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a tow carriage, especially for towing motorcars with the aid of a motor-cycle ( 2 ) or some other small vehicle. The carriage ( 1 ) comprises at least two wheels ( 3, 4  and  5, 6 ) which supported are steerable by means of a steering device ( 22, 23 ) and via articulated pulling rods ( 7-10 ) can be coupled to preferably, the rear frame portion ( 11 ) of motor-cycle. On said pulling rods ( 7-10 ) there is, at each respective joint ( 16, 17 ), mounted an angle information transmitter ( 18, 19 ) which, when the rods ( 7, 9  and  8, 10 ) turn relatively each other in response to the motor-cycle ( 2 ) turning, actuate the steering device ( 22, 23 ) steering the wheels or, alternatively, said steering device ( 22, 23 ) being actuated by direction sensor mounted on the motor-cycle in order to detect a acceleration and turning/banking, the wheels ( 3, 4  and  5, 6 ) always assuming a correct steering angle as determined by the route of the motor-cycle ( 2 ).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a tow carriage for towing motorcars ora towed vehicle with the aid of a motor-cycle or some other smallvehicle or towing vehicle.

Today special break-down lorries are usually used to tow vehicles whichhaving been hit by a failure or for some other reason requires towing.These break-down lorries occupy much space on the road and often find itdifficult to proceed, which can be troublesome, especially in a trafficjam. When a private passenger car has suffered engine failure in atraffic queue it is accordingly practically impossible for an ordinarybreak-down lorry to quickly reach the corresponding location and toperform a towing operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to use as a towing vehicle, amotor-cycle or some other small vehicle. In contrast to an ordinarybreak-down lorry, a motor-cycle can conveniently and rapidly reach theposition of a car.

According to the invention use is made of a motor-cycle or towingvehicle and a tow carriage, the car being towed by the motor-cycle. Thefeatures characterising the invention are set out in the claims.

The invention provides a tow carriage for towing motorcars with the aidof a motor-cycle or some other small vehicle. The carriage satisfies therequirement in an excellent way and is at same time cheap-and easy tomanufacture. The tow carriage solves traffic problems to which atraditional break-down lorries are exposed. The tow carriage can assumea transport position which is used when the motor-cycle is on its way tothe stationary car. In that context of a transport position, it isimportant that the transverse measurement of the carriage not be muchgreater than the measurement of the motor-cycle so that the ability ofthe vehicle combination to move in traffic is not reduced.

When in its use position, the tow carriage is arranged to make itpossible for it to absorb the forces caused by the towed motorcar. Inthe use position, the parts of the tow carriage are mounted and thepulling rods used are extended to their full length. What bothfacilitates and makes possible use of a motor-cycle for the operation isthat the structure of the carriage, and not the motor-cycle, absorbs allvertical forces generated when a motorcar is to be towed away. The onlytask of the motor-cycle is, with the aid of its engine, to move both thetow carriage and the motorcar placed thereon. The force absorption isattained because the carriage is provided with wheels of its own whichare articulated. The pulling rods each include an articulated jointwhere an angle information transmitter is mounted. When the motor-cyclemakes a turn, the pulling forces turn in relation to each other and tothe angle then formed. The information transmitter feeds data to thesteering devices used which then control the turn angles of the fourwheels of the carriage. When a braking operation is carried out it iscontrolled from the motor-cycle and all wheels of the carriage areactuated and braked.

When it is in its transport state, the tow carriage is in a collapsedposition-meaning that all of it can be gathered for transport onmotor-cycle. The increase in width of the carriage is as marginal aspossible. Also in that collapsed state the pulling rods used at thecarriage are then in a telescoped position meaning that they do notsubstantially project in front of or behind the motor-cycle.

When the carriage is placed below the vehicle to be towed it is asignificant advantages that the pulling rods can be turned and insertedlaterally below i.e. the front wheels of the car to be towed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described more indetail, with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a lateral view illustrating a carriage according the inventionwhich can be used for towing motor-cars with the aid of a motor-cycle;

FIG. 2 illustrates the carriage in FIG. 1 in lateral view but withoutthe motor-cycle;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the carriage;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the carriage;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the carriage as seen obliquelyfrom above;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that in FIG. 5 and more clearly illustratingthe turning angle between the pulling rods and the wheels of thecarriage;

FIG. 7 shows on an enlarged scale show one of the wheel pairs used inthe carriage and shown in FIG. 6 and;

FIGS. 8-11 are four views showing the carriage in the collapsedtransport state.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The figures illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, acarriage 1 for towing motorcars with the aid of motor-cycle 2. Thecarriage 1 comprises at least two wheels although four wheels are shown3-6 which support the carriage and all of the wheels can be steered withthe aid of steering devices 22 and 23. Via articulated pulling rods 7-10the carriage can be-coupled to the motor-cycle 2, and preferably itsrear frame portion 11. With this carriage, all vertical forces generatedduring the towing with the aid of the motor-cycle will be absorbed bythe carriage 1 instead of by the motor-cycle 2.

In the example illustrated the tow carriage comprises two wheel pairs12, 13 both of which are pivoted. The pulling rods are secured to atransverse beam which at its outer portions include the respective wheelpairs 12, 13 and in those there are support means 14, 15 for the wheelsof the motorcar. At each articulated joint 16, 17 disposed along thelength of the pulling rods there is an a respective angle informationtransmitter 18, 19 which, when the rods 7, 9 and 8, 10, each turn alongthe lengths because the motor-cycle is turning, their steering devices22, 23 control the steering of the wheels 3-6 to always assume a correctsteering angle as determined by the route of the motor-cycle 2. As analternative, the motor-cycle can be provided with a directiontransmitter 24 for controlling the steering devices 22, 23 via a cableor via radio signals.

Further, each of the wheels of the carriage 1 can be braked individuallywithout exerting any pressure against the motorcycle 2.

The carriage 1 also includes a lifting device 20, 21 at each wheel pair12, 13 with the aid of which the vehicle to be towed can be liftedvertically.

FIGS. 8-11 do more in detail illustrate the appearance of the carriage 1after its collapse to the transport state, FIG. 8 being a top view, FIG.9 a side view, FIG. 10 a rear view and FIG. 11 a perspective view. Asseen in FIGS. 8, 10 and 11, the collapsed frame is slightly wider thanthe space between the rods 7 and 8, as noted above, so that themotor-cycle with the carriage attached may pass through traffic.

1. A tow carriage for towing a towed vehicle with the aid of anothertowing vehicle, the carriage comprising at least two wheels whichsupport the carriage, a steering device for steering the wheels, thesteering device comprising articulated pulling rods, each rod includingan articulation joint along its length, a front portion of the rod atone side of the articulation joint and coupled to the towing vehicle anda rear portion of the rod at the other side of the articulation jointand coupled to the towed vehicle, an angle position transmitter at atleast one of the joints, and communicating with the steering device, thefront and rear portions of each of the rods turn relatively to eachother in response to the towing vehicle turning, the angle positiontransmitter actuates the steering device and steers the wheels.
 2. A towcarriage according to claim 1, wherein each wheel can be brakedindividually for avoiding exertion of any pressure against the towingvehicle.
 3. A tow carriage according to claim 1, further comprising alifting device for vertical lifting of the vehicle to be towed at the atleast two wheels.
 4. A tow carriage according to claim 1, furthercomprising; a direction sensor attached to the towing vehicle andoperable to detect acceleration and turning of the towing vehicle forcausing the wheels to assume a correct steering angle as determined by aroute of the towing vehicle.
 5. A tow carriage according to claim 4,wherein each wheel can be braked individually for avoiding exertion ofany pressure against the towing vehicle.
 6. A tow carriage according toclaim 4, further comprising a lifting device for vertical lifting of thevehicle to be towed at the at least two wheels.